Know your saffron
Most shops sell filaments of grade-2 quality saffron with a mixed red and yellow colour, while some allegedly adulterate the spice with the petals of Kusum flower (safflower) that resemble saffron's golden hue
Due to its high price and scarcity, saffron is called 'red gold' around the world. This 'gold' is collected by drying the red stigmas of a purple flower grown in countries with harsh winters.
Only one gram of this spice can be harvested from 150 dried flowers. The entire work of collecting spices from the tree, which yields once a year, has to be done by hand. So it is always very expensive.
Saffron is originally a lily plant of the Crocus Sativus family. This spice has different cheeky names depending on the region — saffron, kumkum, espagnol.
Although originating in Greece, the production of saffron is very high in the colder regions of Iran, Spain, and Kashmir.
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Humans first used wild saffron as a colour in cave paintings in present-day Iraq about 50,000 years ago. The texts of the ancient Sumerian, Assyrian and Babylonian civilisations describe the use of the saffron flower crocus as a medicine and dye. But analysts argue that artefacts from the Minoan civilisation of ancient Greece are probably the earliest examples of saffron use.
This has been used for ages as one of the most expensive spices in the world in biryani, sherbet, sweets and all spicy dishes. The popularity of this spice has increased at a significant rate in the last few years, not only in different countries of the world, but also in Bangladesh.
But what are the reasons for the increase in demand for saffron in the country's market, where does it come from, and how 'genuine' is it?
No direct import but demand on the rise
We inquired about the status of saffron in some spice shops of Karwan Bazar, Moulvibazar and DNCC Market of Gulshan-1. According to sellers, the price of one gram of saffron in different markets starts from Tk150 to Tk300. However, saffron is sold at Tk220 to Tk250 per gram in grocery stores in different areas of the capital.
Iran, Spain and Indian Kashmir are best known for high quality saffron. But most traders say they sell 'real' Iranian saffron. These saffrons are imported from Dubai, but no one could give any information about the importer.
Shamsuddin, the owner of Bismillah store in Moulvibazar, has been in the spice business for 35 years. According to him, "No one legally imports saffron in the country. The goods come in smuggled luggage. Because of this, the price also fell a little, otherwise the wholesale price of saffron per kg would have been over Tk3.5 lakh. Moreover, if it was imported legally, it would have been done in a few tonnes. There are not enough consumers in the country to buy so much saffron."
Association of Hot Spice Wholesaler President Md Enayet Ullah also said there was not much demand for saffron in the country earlier due to high prices.
However, with the passage of time, the demand for the spice is increasing as it becomes popular among the general public. According to him, the wholesale price of saffron starts from Tk1 lakh to sometimes Tk2.5 lakh per kilogram.
Most of the saffron in the market of poor quality
Saffron is divided into different grades in different countries based on the quality of the spice. The best grade for Iranian saffron is 'All Red Super Negin'. Then comes 'All Red Negin', 'All Red Sergle', 'Filaments Grade-1', 'Filaments Grade-2', 'Filaments Grade-3', and 'Filaments Grade-4'.
In the highest grades, only the upper part of the flower's corolla is present, displaying a vibrant red hue. As the grade decreases, saffron is incorporated into the lower section of the corolla, enhancing the yellow component. Lower-grade saffron exhibits an increased yellow-to-red proportion. Alongside changes in colour and aroma, the price of saffron decreases in accordance with the grade.
Strolling around Karwan Bazar and Moulvibazar, we found that most of the shops are selling Filament Grade-2 quality saffron. When it comes to displaying the 'best quality saffron', almost all the traders bring out this same grade of saffron.
In some places, the price of this saffron is Tk150, somewhere Tk220 and somewhere it is being sold for Tk300 per gram. According to Shamsuddin of Bismillah Store, the best quality saffron is not usually available in the country. Traders sell saffron of the same grade at different prices.
The shops of Gulshan-1 DNCC market can be seen selling full red saffron at the rate of Tk260 per gram. Sellers claimed these as super negin saffron but could not show any proof of quality.
A Facebook page called 'Rahma' sells saffron for Tk450 per gram. There too, the colour is red-yellow mixed. When asked about the grade of saffron they sell, the owner of the page, Fawzia, said, "We get it from a supplier in Jessore. Only they can tell about the grade. But they give the best grade of saffron."
Abu Hena Faisal Fahim, scientific officer of the Spices Research Centre in Bogura, said, "The cost of premium saffron is exceptionally high, with prices for one kilogram of top-grade Indian saffron averaging around Tk5 lakh."
Unfortunately, in an attempt to lower the price, some traders resort to adulterating saffron, he added. "The Kusum flower has petals that closely resemble saffron's golden hue, and these petals are frequently blended with genuine saffron," he also said.
